Half to james c



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. W. NORWOOD.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 409,648. Patented Aug. 20, 1889.

MIWI\ lll (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. W. NORWOOD.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Patente gl Aug. 20, 1889;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD IV. NORVVOOD, OF COURTLAND, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOJAMES C. GRANT, OF SAME PLACE.

RAI LWAY-SIG NAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,648, dated August20,1889.

Application filed March '7, 1889. Serial No. 302,279. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD W. Noawoon, a citizen of the United States,residing at- Oourtland, in the county of Lawrence and State of Alabama,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Signals andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in antomatically-operatingrailway-signals, the object thereof being to simplify and perfect theconstruction of that class of signaling deviceswhich are used to promotesafety in the running of trains upon railroads, the invention beingparticularly, although not exclusively, applicable for use onsingle-track roads; and the invention consists in the construction,arrangement, and combination of the several parts, substantially as willbe hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is aperspective View of my improved railway signal complete. Fig. 2 is avertical section on the line as a of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectionon the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of a railroadprovided with my improved signaling mechanism. Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail View of aportion ofthe operating mechanism of the signal, which is arranged alongside ofthe rails of the track.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutall the different figures of the drawings.

My invention is adapted for use with any kind of railroad, it beingpre-eminently advantageous for use with roads where trains pass in bothdirections upon a single track.

A A denote the parallel rails of any ordinary railroad, said rails beingplaced upon the usual cross-ties, as shown.

B denotes an example of car arranged to travel upon said road. This carhas the forward truck 0 O and rear truck D D. It will be noted that Irepresent this car simply by way of example, to show how the car duringits movements upon the road mayautoinatically operate my improvedrailway-signal. Said car, in addition to being provided with the regulartrucks which roll upon the tracks, has a pair of wheels carried on anaxle E, journaled in horizontal arms E E arranged beneath the platformof the car in some suitable manner, so as to project downward. One ofthe wheels has a portion of greater diameter than the rest, or isflanged in some manner so as to project downward onthe outside of thetrack a short distance below the upper surface thereof, as seen in Figs.1 and 5. During the progress the wheel E, just described, is made toencounter certain spring devices belonging to the automatic mechanism ofmy improved signal, which causes the signal to be operated in the mannerto be hereinafter more fully detailed.

The mechanism of my improved signal is arranged alongside the rails ofthe track on the outer side thereof. In the case of a singletrack road Ipreferably locate the mechanism of the signal on the outer side of bothrails. (See Fig. 4.)

F denotes a signal-post, which is located close by the track in aconspicuous position, where it may be easily seen. Said post carriesupon its upper end a cylindrical drum G, having a suitable number ofrectangular or other shaped openings therein.

VV'ithin the drum is a cylinder II, the surface of which is painted redand white, or any other suitable color, alternately, the red and whitesections being of suitable size, so that they may be displayed throughthe openings in the wall of the cylindrical drum G. Thus if the cylinderII be revolved it is manifest that the white and red sections will bedisclosed to View through the openings in the drum G. Thesignal-cylinderH is secured to the spindle I, the lower end of which isjournaled in the base of the hollow signal-post F. Said spindle I isprovided with a horizontal slotted arm or loop J, projecting through theside of post F toward the track. There may be any number of thesesignal-posts located at suitable points on one or both sides of thetrack. It may be well to suggest in this connection that foursignal-posts might be conveniently arranged on each side of the track ina distance of a mile. In Fig. 4 I have shown a signal-post on one sideof the track and one on the opposite side.

At certain points between the signal-posts I arrange devices which areacted upon by the cars and which communicate motion to the cylinderwithin the drum on the signalpost, and thus actuate said paintedcylinder in the manner desired.

K denotes a curved spring, one end of which is bolted or otherwisesuitably fastened to the base-flange of the rail, while the other endportion of the spring is located substantially on alevel with the uppersurface of the rail and in close proximity thereto, so that when the carpasses the wheelEwill act upon the spring to depress it. Such springs Kare located at proper intervals between the signal-posts. It may beconvenient to arrange them one or two hundred yards apart or at suchother intervals as maybe found proper.

L denotes a right-angled bell-crank lever arranged in connection withthe rail near the spring K. Said bell-crank has a horizontal pin orjournal a, which is supported in a suitably-journaled box or bearing 1),secured to the under side of the rail. The free end of the spring K isprovided with a downwardlyprojecting lug or pair of lugs c, to orbetween which is pivoted a short link d, the other end of which ispivoted to one arm of the bellcrank. The other arm of said bell-crank isproperly curved to enable the same to pass over the base-flange of therail and up along the side thereof, its end being slotted and pivotallyconnected with thelink M. This link is properly fashioned to permit thescrewthreaded end of the horizontal rod N to connect therewith atoneend, as shown, While the other end of the link is connected to thescrew-threaded end of the horizontal rod 0. The rods N and O are adaptedto move endwise, and are supported and guided by suit able devicessecured to the side of the rails. The rod Nextends from the point whereit is connected to the link M (which link is adjacent to that spring Kwhich is nearest to the signal-post) to a point Where it is connected toa link M, constructed similarly to the link M and located on the railadjacent to the signal-post.

P denotes a crank having a horizontal portion journaled in guides nearthe foot of the signal-post, and having also one arm 19 at-right anglesto the horizontal part, which arm projects through the looped or slottedhorizontal arm J, projecting from the signal-spindle, said crank havingalso another arm 9, which is pivotally connected to the link 1 I havethus described in detail that part of the mechanism whereby motion iscommunicated from the moving car to the signaling device to actuate thelatter, which mechanism is located nearest to the signal-post. Therewill, in fact, be a continuous line of rods running the entire length ofthe track, which rods will connect With each other by means of linkssimilar toM and M. Accompanying each spring K will likewise be abell-crank and other mechanical parts similar to what We have justdescribed. As the train moves along the track the Wheel E will depresseach spring K as it comes'in contact therewith, and-this will actuatethe bell-crank and impart an endwise movement to the rods, which will belocated alongside of the track. The actuation of these rods Will operatethe crank P, thus moving the arm J and oscillating the spindle I and thepainted cylinder to Which it is connected. Suppose, therefore, that thecylinder H is so arranged within the drum G that when the spring Koccupies its normal position undepressed the white sections of saidcylinder II will be displayed to View through the drum. Then wheneverthe spring K is depressed the result of said depression will be tooscillate the cylinder H and dis- I play a red section to view inlieu ofthe white, Which red section will be seen only momentarily or during theperiod that the spring K is depressed, for when the wheel orsignaloperating truck E has moved off said spring the resiliency thereofwill cause it to assume its normal position, which will again bring thewhite section into View. If the car therefore be moving forward in thedirection of the arrow (shown in Figs. 1 and 5) another car or train onthe same track some distance ahead would instantly be made aware of itsapproach by the intermittent flashing of the red section consequent uponthe periodic depression of the springs K ranged along the rails. Whensignal-posts are stationed on both sides of the track, both cars ortrains which might at any time be approaching each other would beinformed as to each others movement and danger thus averted. Mymechanism is so arranged that when the spring K is depressed theactuation of the intermediate mechanism between it and the signal willbe quick, thus imparting a sharp or instantaneous movement to thesignal.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a way of connecting two of the rods which arelocated alongside of the track, to Wit: rods 0 Q. The rod 0 hasconnected to the end thereof a loop e. The end of rod Q enters said loopand is provided with a pin g. It will thus be seen that When the springK nearest the signal-post is depressed it will have no effect upon thespring K next behind it, for although it will cause the rodO to moveendwise, yet such motion in this instance will not likewise reciprocatethe rod Q, for the loop e will slide over said rod, being guided andlimited in its movement by the pin g.

If desired, the spring K and the accompanying mechanism may be coveredor housed with a covering of sheet-iron or other suitable metal toprotect said mechanism from the Weather. I have shown an example of thiscovering in Fig. 5. It Will furthermore be noted that the revolvingsignal-cylinder H ICC may be furnished with a spring, if desired, (seeFig. 2,) to assist in returning it into position after it has beenrevolved.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a railway-signal, the combination of the revolving cylinder andits spindle, having a slotted arm, the spring located alongside of thetrack and adapted to be depressed by the moving car, a bell-crank havinga journal supported in a bearing beneath the rail, the link connectingthe spring and the bell-crank, the horizontal rods to which thebell-crank is pivotally connected, and the crank connecting thehorizontal rod with the slotted arm of the signal-cylinder, allsubstantially as described.

2. In a railway-signal, the combination ofupon by the moving car, thebell-crank L,

connected movably to the rail, the connecting link (1 between thebell-crank and the spring, the horizontal rods alongside of the trackconnected by links, to one of which the bellcrank is pivotally attached,the signal-post F, carrying drum G, the cylinder H therein, havingpainted sections, its spindle I, having arm J and the crank P,connecting armJ with one of the links between the horizontal rods, allsubstantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD W. NORIVOOD.

VVitn esses:

N. DUMON'l, FRED E. TASKER.

